Putin's fear of Pussy Riot

Vladimir Putin is a famously tough guy -- a former KGB agent who knows karate, plays hockey and gets photographed shirtless on horseback. But the Russian strongman is not really so strong. Evidently he's scare to death of three women who play in a punk rock band with the unforgettable name of Pussy Riot.

They are going to prison for two years, not for causing an actual riot, but for briefly invading a Moscow cathedral to play an anti-Putin number. The prosecution seemed to regard their performance as an episode of religious blasphemy, calling witnesses shocked that they would wear short skirts in a church -- and right before Lent, no less.

Their real goal, however, was to disparage the authoritarian-minded president, and that's what got them in trouble. Human Rights Watch said, "The case against the Pussy Riot band members seems aimed not at protecting public order and security but at setting boundaries for political criticism."

To Putin, Western leaders may seem weak because they routinely tolerate the most outrageous insults and vicious attacks. But they are really demonstrating the strength that lies in democratic processes. American presidents are strong enough not to be fearful of protests and dissent.

Only corrupt dictatorial leaders have grounds to fear the complaints of their citizens. Putin is the archetypal strongman -- shielded by security forces and afraid of people armed with nothing but guitars and truth.